May 18, 2016

Greatest Phillies not in the Hall of Fame - Sherwood "Sherry" Magee

It's been some time since a Phillies player was inducted into the Hall of Fame. During the mid-1990s, four former Phillies - Steve Carlton (1994), Mike Schmidt (1995), Richie Ashburn (1995), and Jim Bunning (1996) - were enshrined into baseball's hallowed Hall of Fame over three consecutive years. None have been inducted since. That means it has been 20 long years since a Phillies player was inducted. Such a drought makes you wonder when the next former Phillies star will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

I provide the case for a few players, examine why they are not already in the Hall of Fame, and assess their chances at making the ballot and ultimately earning induction into the Hall of Fame.

My methodology for including players in this series is simple: I will only consider retired players who played at least one full season for the Phillies during their careers. Naturally, each player's measurables must be of the caliber of players already in the Hall of Fame. Finally, I'll place the player's chances of induction on a scale of 1-10 (10 being a lock for enshrinement). This series will flow chronologically from early players to those who are more recent. Today's candidate is former Phillies captain Sherwood "Sherry" Magee.

Sherry Magee could do it all. He could hit, run, field, throw, and hit for power - a true five tool player in the modern sense. He was the Phillies best and most consistent position player during the Deadball Era (1901-1919) and ranked as one of the era's most prolific hitters. This consistency is the reason why he was such a popular figure in Philadelphia.

John J. Ward wrote in the April 1915 issue of Baseball Magazine that "Sherwood Magee is a type of player who is and always will be popular in baseball. A typical slugger, he gives the public what they prize above all else in a ball player, and that is base hits, and a good all around performer, of the old school. Magee, to be sure, is a capable fielder But he is first, last and all the time a slugger." Ward went on to say that "There are few better hitters in the game to-day, no one who is more of a born dynamiter with the bat." Furthermore, Ward concluded that Magee was more aggressive, quicker, and stronger than Ty Cobb, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, and Nap Lajoie.

The numbers back up what seems to be a preposterous claim. His best season was in 1910 when he led all of Major League Baseball with a slash line of .331/.507/.445 and was the National League batting champion. He nearly repeated the feat again in 1914. Furthermore, according to baseball-reference, Magee consistently ranked in the top 10 in nearly all major offensive categories from 1905-1915.

Magee was traded to the Boston Braves after the 1914 season, which was unfortunate for him. He missed out on playing in the 1914 World Series with the Braves and in the 1915 World Series with the Phillies. He did, however, win a World Series championship in 1919 with the Cincinnati Reds.

Although Magee's Phillies career ended 102 years ago, he is still in the franchise's top 10 for games played, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, RBI, and stolen bases. Additionally he compiled a 47.8 WAR while wearing Phillies uniform, eighth highest all-time.

Baker Bowl's 40 foot high right field wall looms large in this picture taken during the 1915 World Series

What's Keeping Him Out?

There are two primary reasons why Magee is not already enshrined in Cooperstown.

First, during his 11 years in Philadelphia, Magee had the luxury of playing home games in Baker Bowl, an unorthodox and misshapen bandbox who's right field wall was a pedestrian 272 feet away. (Citizens Bank Park's right field fence is 330 feet way). Furthermore, the right field wall was a gargantuan 40 foot tall tin-over-brick wall. (For reference, Fenway's Green Monster is 37 feet tall and 310 feet from home plate). Although right handed, Magee certainly used Baker Bowl's dimensions to his benefit, either hitting balls over the wall for home runs or into the wall for cheap singles and doubles.

Secondly, Magee retired after the 1919 season and died 10 years later in 1929 at the age of 44; the first Hall of Fame induction was 1936. Although he was on the ballot eight times, Magee never earned more than 1% of the BBWAA vote. Today, a player with his numbers would be considered a lower tier Hall of Famer. The problem is Magee was on the ballot with Nap Lajoie, John McGraw, Tris Speaker, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Cy Young, George Wright, Cap Anson etc. In short, he had to contend with certifiable baseball legends. He died seven years before the first class was inducted, so he undoubtedly began to fade from memory as well.

Chances of Induction: 2/10

Today, it's incredibly difficult for a player to even get their name on a Veteran's Committee ballot. The process for inclusion on a ballot and voting procedures have changed numerous times since 1936. In 2010, the Veteran's Committee was divided into three parts - Pre-Integration Era (1871-1946), Golden Era (1947-1972), and Expansion Era (1973 and later). Candidates for each era will be considered every third year, with the Historical Overview Committee formulating the ballots while separately elected committees vote. The threshold needed for induction is still 75%.

The process is tedious, which makes it difficult for a candidate to earn induction. In fact, the last candidates elected to the Hall of Fame via Veteran's Committee vote was 2012. While Magee's numbers are Hall of Fame worthy, he still faces a bottleneck comprised of eligible candidates and a very strict process. I give Magee a minute shot at enshrinement because the Historical Overview Committee has placed him on the ballot for consideration in the past, so it's entirely possible he will make the ballot again, raising interest in his baseball career.